Sarah Bettman is a Talent Development Manager, heading Diversity and Inclusion efforts at Constellation Brands. 

Constellation Brands is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Italy. Constellation is the third-largest producer and marketer of beer for the U.S. market and the world's leading premium wine company with a leading market position in the U.S. and New Zealand. Constellation's portfolio is complemented by select premium spirits brands. The company recently added wine brands Meiomi (2015) and The Prisoner Wine Company (2016); Casa Noble tequila (2014); and craft beer brand Ballast Point (2015) to its robust portfolio. 

Sarah joined Constellation Brands in April 2017 as Talent Development Manager for Wine and Spirits. Preceding her tenure at Constellation Brands, Sarah was a Principal Consultant with Linkage, Inc. where she was known for her work in the areas of leadership development, the advancement of women leaders, and inclusive leadership around the globe. Prior to Linkage, Sarah served as a Director, Leadership Development for Kaiser Permanente in Northern California.

Gretchen Carlson is one of the nation’s most successful and recognized news anchors and a tireless advocate for workplace equality and the empowerment of women. She most recently hosted “The Real Story” on Fox News for three years, and prior to that co-hosted the #1 rated cable morning news show, “Fox and Friends," for more than seven years. Carlson started her television career in Richmond, Virginia, as a political reporter, and later served as an anchor and reporter in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Dallas. She moved to the national scene as the co-host of “The Saturday Early Show” on CBS in 2000 where she also served as a CBS News correspondent covering the G-8 Summit in Genoa, Italy, the Timothy McVeigh execution, 9-11 from the World Trade Center, the Bush-Gore election, and many other national and international stories. She reported and produced a 30-part series on domestic violence that won several national awards. In 2015, Carlson’s first book, Getting Real, became a national best-seller. Her latest book, Be Fierce, debuted in 2017 as New York Times bestseller.

An honors graduate of Stanford University, Carlson was valedictorian of her high school class and studied at Oxford University in England. Carlson grew up as a child prodigy on the violin, performed as a soloist with the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra at age 13, and, in 1989, became the first classical violinist ever to win the Miss America crown. In 2016, Carlson became the face of sexual harassment in the workplace, gracing the cover of Time Magazine and standing strong in her determination to promote a safe working environment for all women. To that end she plans to testify before Congress about workplace inequality and the prevalence of forced arbitration clauses in employment contracts that often keep sexual harassment claims shrouded in secrecy.  

Ever grateful for her success and the opportunities provided to her and imbued with a “never give up” attitude, Carlson has mentored dozens of young women throughout her career and is in the process of forming a foundation to empower young girls by helping them build self esteem and instilling within them the confidence of knowing that they can be anything they want to be. Carlson serves as a national Trustee for the March of Dimes, a member of the Board of Directors for the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary in Newtown, Connecticut, and a Trustee of Greenwich Academy, an all girls preparatory day school in Greenwich, Connecticut. She is an active volunteer and teacher at her church and, in 2016, hosted the “Miss You Can Do It” pageant in Illinois to celebrate the achievements of courageous girls and young women with disabilities. Carlson is married to sports agent Casey Close and mom to their two children, 11 and 13.

WARNING:   Kickass keynote speaker and award-winning author David Tyreman will use humor, wit and charm to demonstrate that you’re actually NOT in the business YOU THOUGHT you were.  So listen at your own peril, or end up with a brand that’s absolutely CRUSHING IT!

Seriously, David’s uncanny, unorthodox and inspirational approach for helping entrepreneurial “start ups”, personal brands and Fortune 500’s crack their brand DNA has made him one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the nation today.  Author of ‘World Famous – How to Create a Kick-Ass Brand,’ and founder of WorldFamousCompany.com, David has been described as the “Rosetta Stone for brand building.”  

His own entrepreneurial itch surfaced in 1987 while on holiday in the U.S.  The energetic Englishman loved it here so much that he vowed to return with an idea that would take America by storm.  His concept?  To sell English antiques the way people peddled Tupperware, by hosting parties.  “People drank our wine, and ate the cheese, but wouldn’t touch our pricey antiques.”

Down to their last $20, David and his partner had one more Antique Party scheduled at his aunt Beryl’s home in Arcadia, California. “Luckily, she had a neighbor who was in the mood for showing off a bit, and he purchased our entire $5,000 inventory!” he said.  “I was doing back flips and cartwheels… we didn’t sleep all night.”

Seven years later, they had totally morphed into a Visual Branding & Merchandising juggernaut called Propaganda, which packaged carefully selected  vintage and modern props (from mountain bikes and snow ski’s to old typewriters, suitcases and alike) as in-store, story-telling props for retail clients such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Nike, Banana Republic and others.

The company went on to purchase a 27,000 square-foot warehouse in San Francisco, which was the largest live/work lofted warehouse in the city.  They also scored tons of free press for their whacky, but memorable marketing & branding methods.  After topping $20 million, David sold the business to his partner and launched the World Famous Company LLC now based out of Las Vegas in 2000 where he’s been joyfully creating kickass brands for his clients ever since.

Jennifer Jo oversees all research and new product insights for E. & J. Gallo Winery and is one of the most senior members of the company.

Jennifer Jo has spent over 25 years innovating in consumer product companies including E. & J. Gallo Winery, The Gillette Company, Proctor and Gamble, Pepsi-Cola, and consulting firms. Her experience spans innovation, market/consumer/shopper insights, brand development, product guidance and development, quality control, consumer relations, ad claims, and technology development.

Currently, her team dedicated to consumer and product insight and development guides business decisions with consumer, shopper, and market insights, as well as creates new product and brand innovation, managing the technology pipeline, and directing to consumer communications.

Marilisa Allegrini: The Voice of Amarone

“The beauty that surrounds us still surprises me,” says Marilisa Allegrini, global representative and CEO of Allegrini Estates, on the Allegrini family’s acclaimed estates in Tuscany and the Veneto. Together with her brother Franco Allegrini, head winemaker for Allegrini Estates, Marilisa carries on the legacy of their father Giovanni, a visionary viticulturist in Valpolicella credited with revolutionizing Amarone and appassimento winemaking. Steeped in centuries of winegrowing expertise, the family is recognized for crafting the benchmark Amarone, pioneering a focus on single-vineyard sites, and consistently marrying tradition with innovation.

Sharing the Legacy of Italian Wine with the World Marilisa was brought up in the vineyard by Giovanni, and was heavily influenced by his dedication to Italian winegrowing of the highest caliber. After studies at the University of Verona, Marilisa became Director of Sales and Marketing for Allegrini and began traveling throughout Italy and the world to share the story of her family’s heritage and wines. Her passion and ambassadorship helped cement the reputation of Amarone as one of the world’s finest wines and Allegrini as its top producer. Today, Marilisa is president of Amarone Families (Famiglie dell’Amarone d’Arte), and has been recognized as one of the top ambassadors for Valpolicella worldwide.

Breaking new ground in Bolgheri.

Bolgheri in Tuscany represented to Marilisa and the Allegrini family not only a beautiful new domain but also a promise to continue their exploration of what’s possible in Italian wine. So in 2002, Marilisa, Franco and their late brother Walter embarked on a new winegrowing journey in the region’s renowned coastal terroir, focused once again on the premise of developing extraordinary vineyard sites. The family’s Poggio al Tesoro estate and its wines have already received acclaim, thanks to the dedication, relentless pursuit of quality and respect for the land the family upholds in all of its endeavors.

“Tradition is not immobility,” Marilisa says of the family’s Tuscan exploration. “When accompanied by true respect for a territory, there is always something to discover, to interpret, to see in a new light.”

Celebrating Italian culture and hospitality.

Marilisa and the Allegrini family channel their passion for hospitality at Verona’s Villa della Torre, their 16^th century renaissance palace, which was once home to visiting artists and bears a rich cultural past. Today, this world-class destination welcomes guests with the family’s phenomenal wines as well as dining experiences from a Michelin-starred chef. Every detail is thoughtfully anticipated, and the result is a distinctly Italian sense of welcome, grace and vivacity. “It is thrilling to us that the Villa della Torre’s façade, grand rooms, archways and gardens today recall their former 16th century grandeur—and thus reflect our commitment to honoring Italian culture,” says Marilisa.

Whether she is sharing the story of Allegrini’s enduring success in the Veneto or introducing wines from the family’s latest chapter in Tuscany, Marilisa draws on her singular knowledge to inspire and inform.

Costco Wholesale is the 2nd largest global retailer.  Costco is the dominant membership warehouse club operator.  Costco operates 715 warehouse stores in 9 countries.  Sales totaled $116.4 billion in 2016 fiscal year (ending August 28, 2105).

Costco has over 85 million cardholders with a 90% renewal rate (US & CN).  The average member has a household income of $92k.  35% of the Costco members have an income greater than $100k, 41% are college graduates and 86% own their own home.

Costco warehouses carry a limited number of SKUs (stock keeping units) – approximately 4,000 – compared to the 30,000 found at traditional supermarkets.  Costco members will find a wide range of product categories (food and sundries, hardlines and softlines) that offer quality and value.  Costco features National brands and selected private label, Kirkland Signature.  

Costco’s global beverage alcohol department sales totaled $3.8B in fiscal year 2016.  The average number of items carried is approximately 225.  Costco carries a wide range of price points from everyday wines to first growth Bordeaux, premium spirits and beer.

Annette oversees the Wine, Beer and Spirits department for the United States.  Responsibilities include:  direct and assist 12 US regional and corporate buyers with implementation of corporate directives, along with assisting 8 international buyers. Lead development of new wines, spirits & beer for the Kirkland Signature program. Develop new supplier relationships, while working directly with National account representatives, suppliers and distributors to strengthen sales relationships.  Interact with the Media and Analysts, assist legal, accounting, and marketing concerning all aspects of beverage alcohol departments.  In addition, Annette produces six columns annually for in-house publication, The Costco Connection.

Annette is an Associate member of the Institute Wine and Spirits Education Trust and holds the Diploma certificate (AIWS), also holds the Certified Wine Educator (CWE) certificate from Society of Wine Educators.

Costco has been recognized as Retailer of the Year by Wine Enthusiast  (2015), Washington State Wine Industry (2015), and MarketWatch (2011).  In addition, has been named on the biennial Decanter’s Powerlist from 2005-2013 and in Fortune/Food &Wine Top 25 Innovative Women, Food & Drink (2014).

Amanda Batchelet joined Total Wine & More in 2008 as the Senior Buyer for Non Alcoholic/Food/Accessories. Since then she moved in 2010 to take on responsibility as the Senior Buyer of Beer, at a time when craft beer was exploding and seasonal beers were a fast growing part of the assortment.  In 2012 she joined the Spirits team which accounts for over $750M in annual sales.  She is now the Director of Category Management, Spirits, overseeing the Spirits Business at Total Wine & More across 19 states and over 140 store locations (eligible to sell Spirits). 

An American family-business success story, Total Wine & More was founded in 1991 by brothers David and Robert Trone when they opened their first store, a 1,500 sq. ft. store in Claymont, Delaware.  In the ensuing 26 years Total Wine & More has grown to be the nation’s largest independent retailer of fine wine, beer and spirits.  Total Wine & More ended 2017 with 173 superstores in 21 states.  Known as America’s Wine Superstore™, Total Wine & More features outstanding selection (8,000 wines, 3,000 spirits and 2,500 beers in each store), best-in-class service, lowest prices in the market and an incredible in-store customer experience. 

Recognized as four-time National Retailer of the Year by major industry publications – Wine Enthusiast (2004 and 2014), Market Watch (2006) and Beverage Dynamics (2006) – Total Wine & More is the only company to be honored twice as retailer of the year by Wine Enthusiast.  The company’s large (between 20,000-30,000 sq. ft.), brightly-lit stores with wide aisles are designed to enhance customer experience by offering storewide Wi-Fi, wine/beer/spirits content on flat panel monitors at tasting stations, the Brewery District™ featuring local and craft beers and high tech Wine Education Centers (classrooms) in which Total Wine & More offers consumer classes and special tasting events such as the “Meet the Maker” series and “virtual tastings” with producers from around the world.

An outstanding community and philanthropic partner, Total Wine & More works closely with community and business leaders in each market it operates to support local causes and charitable efforts.  In 2017, donated over $7 million of in-kind and monetary contributions to more than 10,000 local non-profits in 21 states helping those local non-profits raise over $40 million in support of their programs.  When not being used by the store team for training and customer education classes, Total Wine & More offers its Wine Education Center as meeting space, free of charge, to local non-profits, community and business groups.

One of the wine industry’s top executives and innovators, Jackson Family Wines Chairman & Proprietor Barbara R. Banke has spent the last two decades leading the company she co-founded with her late husband, wine icon Jess Jackson, while building and expanding some of the most beloved wineries in the nation.

The UCLA and Hastings Law School graduate is no stranger to juggling diverse workloads. A former land use and constitutional law attorney, Banke spent more than a decade arguing cases before the United States Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal, and raised three children with Jess (Katie, Julia and Christopher Jackson).

In addition to the flagship Kendall-Jackson and La Crema wineries, Banke and Jackson shaped nearly two dozen small, high-image wineries located across Sonoma, Napa, Monterey, Santa Barbara and Mendocino counties, including Arrowood, Byron, Cambria, Carmel Road, Edmeades, Freemark Abbey, La Jota, Matanzas Creek and Stonestreet. The Jackson family portfolio also includes the international properties of Chateau Lassègue in Bordeaux, Tenuta di Arceno and Arcanum in Tuscany, Calina in Chile and Yangarra Estates and the Hickinbotham Vineyard at Clarendon in Australia. In 2013, the Jackson family purchased property in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, including the acclaimed Zena Crown and Gran Moraine vineyards. In 2014, the family launched Capensis, from the Western Cape of South Africa.

Banke takes a hands-on role in the development and promotion of various Jackson Family wine estates, with a special focus on the company’s ultra-luxury wineries such as Lokoya, Cardinale, and Vérité, as well as new vineyard acquisitions, and a broad range of other business initiatives. In addition to the family’s wine holdings, Banke shares Jackson’s love of equestrian racing - their acclaimed stables, Stonestreet Farms in Kentucky, produced Horses of the Year Curlin and Rachel Alexandra, as well as Eclipse Award Winner My Miss Aurelia.

A well-known philanthropist, Banke and the Jackson Family are passionate advocates for education. She co-founded the Sonoma Paradiso Foundation and helped build the Sonoma Country Day School in Santa Rosa, and serves as a founding board member for Sonoma Academy, an independent college-prep high school recognized for academic rigor. She and Jackson also committed $3 million to found the Jess S. Jackson Sustainable Winery Building at UC-Davis (opened summer 2013), a national center of excellence designed to train the next generation of winemakers in sustainability best practices. In addition, Banke and her family contributed $500,000 to help launch the Family Justice Center Sonoma County, providing help for victims of domestic violence, and she is a global ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Virginie Boone reviews and writes about the wines of Napa and Sonoma for Wine Enthusiast Media, and is a longtime resident of Sonoma County. She began her writing career with Lonely Planet travel guides, writing guides to the American South, South America, Northern California and the Loire Valley, which led in a roundabout and perfectly sensible way to California-focused wine coverage for The Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Savor Magazine, Sonoma Magazine and others. She is a regular panelist and speaker on wine topics in California and beyond.

Nicole Brassard Jordan is a 30-year industry veteran and the first female to serve as Director of Sales, Marketing, Merchandising, and Warehousing for the New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC).  In her role, Jordan is responsible for conceptualizing and implementing industry-leading strategies to increase sales throughout the state’s 80 NH Liquor & Wine Outlet locations and off-premise channels.

NHLC set an all-time sales record in 2017, generating $698.2 million in gross sales, an increase of $19.8 million – or 2.92-percent – over the previous year. NHLC’s total liquor net profits reached $159 million, which is used to fund state programs, including addiction treatment and prevention, education, health and social services, transportation and natural resource protection.

Under Jordan’s leadership, NHLC has received numerous accolades, including an A rating for consumer access to wine by The American Wine Consumer Coalition and was named “The Best State in America for wine drinkers” by the Washington Post. Most recently, NHLC was honored as the nation’s top control state by StateWays Magazine, which recognized New Hampshire for its innovative programs and focus on responsible consumption.

Jordan began her career in the food industry working in restaurants and a private retail shop. Jordan joined NHLC in 1988 as a retail store clerk. Eventually she was promoted to assistant manager and then store manager at one of NHLC’s signature NH Liquor & Wine Outlet locations. Prior to her current position, Jordan served for 13 years as NHLC’s wine marketing specialist, where she steadily grew NHLC’s wine sales to 44 percent of the overall business.

Jordan played a key role in establishing New Hampshire Wine Week, a customer-focused, week-long celebration of wine that draws more than 60 of the world’s leading winemakers to New Hampshire each January to participate in intimate wine dinners, bottle-signings and tasting events. The week culminates with the largest wine tasting event north of Boston, the Winter Wine Spectacular, which has drawn thousands of guests and raised nearly $2 million for charity over the last 14 years.

Outside of work, Jordan is an avid cyclist, runner and community volunteer. She and her husband David enjoy renovating their 1900 New Englander home in Manchester.

Deborah Brenner graduated from the University of Delaware with degrees in English and Journalism, and was soon hired by a television and film technology company that required international travel to countries for whom wine is a part of everyday life. After over 20 years in the male-dominated field of high-end technology and owning a marketing and public relations firm, Ms. Brenner discovered during a fortuitous trip to Napa and Sonoma that many women in the wine industry – like her own – were under-recognized. Compelled to tell their stories, she authored a bestselling collection of profiles on women in the wine industry, Women of the Vine: Inside the World of Women Who Make, Taste and Enjoy Wine, which Wine Spectator named a Critical Read of 2007.

Through the process of writing the book and championing its subjects, Ms. Brenner became inspired to enter the wine business herself, releasing wine from a first-of-its-kind collective of seven artisan women winemakers from Napa, Sonoma and Paso Robles. For the following seven years, Ms. Brenner learned the business inside and out. Ultimately, however, all the money, blood, sweat and (a lot) of tears could  not foster women in the wine industry the way Brenner had hoped, which led her to shut down the Women of the Vine wine brand and return to the drawing board.

One year later, Brenner organized the inaugural Women of the Vine Global Symposium, held in March of 2015, which quickly sold out to 500 women from five countries. Due to the overwhelming response, Brenner and the Women of the Vine Advisory Board went to work developing a consortium that supports professionals in the alcohol beverage industry year-round. Thus emerged the Women of the Vine Alliance, a membership-based organization, anchored by the annual Symposium, whose mission is to empower and equip women worldwide to advance their careers in the alcohol beverage industry, fostering gender diversity and talent development across the industry at large.

Ms. Brenner has received a Rising Star Award from Women for WineSense (2008), a New York Small Business Administration Women in Business Champion Of The Year (2009), a New York City National Association of Women Business Owners Signature Award (2010), the Lillian Vernon Award for Outstanding Community Service by the Women's Enterprise Development Center (2011), a NY Women in Communications Rising Star Award (2013), the Rockland Business Women's Network Woman of the Year Award (2014), American Cancer Society Dr. Louis Berger Award (2017), and Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Award Person of the Year Nominee (2017).

As Estate Director at Domaine Chandon California, Susan oversees all business channels and operations at America’s leading Méthode Traditionnelle winery. Genuinely inspired by the pioneering spirit and adventure of the winery’s founders, Susan embraces the same courage and commitment as she helps launch the next chapter of success at Chandon.

Drawing on twenty years of strategic marketing development and active stakeholder engagement, she utilizes her sharp customer focus to relentlessly improve products and experiences while achieving key profitability benchmarks.

Susan began her career in the fashion industry at Vogue Australia, followed
by various marketing positions for European and Australian brands. In 2003, she transitioned to the wine industry and joined Moët Hennessy as the Director of Marketing and Business Development for Domaine Chandon Australia, Cloudy Bay and Cape Mentelle. In 2010, Susan was appointed Estate Director at Domaine Chandon Australia where she managed all arms of the winery until making the move to Domaine Chandon California in 2016.

Susan’s interests include art, architecture, design, skiing, other various sports and traveling. While moving to Northern California was a comfortable transition for Susan, she looks forward to exploring the nuances and diversity in the United States

“No better job”, is what Susan says about running America’s leading Méthode Traditionnelle winery.  Drawing on more than twenty years of marketing and business development in the wine and fashion industry, she finds the building human and product centered organizations endlessly fascinating and challenging.

Dr. Laura Catena is a Harvard and Stanford trained biologist and physician, and the founder of Argentina’s Catena Institute of Wine in 1995.  She is currently managing director of Bodega Catena Zapata (est. 1902) and of her own Luca winery (est. 1999). Catena has been called the “face” of Argentine wine and is author of Argentina’s definitive wine guide, “Vino Argentino”.

About the CATENA INSTITUTE OF WINE

The vision of the Catena Institute of Wine is to continue elevating Argentina’s historic variety, Malbec, and the country’s winemaking regions for another 100 years. Nicolás Catena Zapata's high-altitude wine revolution led to the discovery of a new terroir for wine, the Adrianna Vineyard at almost 5,000 feet elevation. Today, the team of the Catena Institute of Wine is dedicated to studying every meter, every rock, every insect and microorganism in the Adrianna Vineyard, making it perhaps the most studied vineyard in the world.  The Catena Institute collaborates with institutions all over the world, from UC Davis to the University of Dijon, as well as with local research institutions.  The institute’s work is widely published in reputable scientific journals that include the American Journal of Viticulture and Enology and Food Science.  

At California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), Ashley leads the development of the national marketing strategy which includes menu and creative development for the brand, beverage innovation, national promotions, loyalty programs, digital marketing, and philanthropic initiatives. 

Ceraolo has been instrumental in rolling out CPK’s Next Chapter initiative, a brand transformation underway in CPK’s restaurants nationwide, as well as elevating CPK’s national digital marketing strategy. Ceraolo is also a part of the CPK program R.A.D., an initiative designed to mentor women leaders in the workplace.

Ceraolo is a strategic marketing professional who has worked with multiple national and international restaurant brands to develop and execute marketing campaigns, optimize brand loyalty and drive sales growth. A resident of Huntington Beach, and mother of two, Ashley is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and is also a level one Sommelier.

In May 2015, Ceraolo was honored with a 2015 Most Powerful and Influential Woman of California award. Ceraolo was recognized for her leadership by the National Diversity Council, an organization which fosters an understanding of diversity and inclusion as a strategy for business success and community well-being through various initiatives.

In September 2016, Ceraolo was recognized by Wine Enthusiast magazine as a “40 under 40” tastemaker.

Gwen is responsible for leading and directing all strategic sourcing activities for assigned categories relating to beverage,  Current role - Responsible for negotiations and implementation of all sourcing contracts under the Beverage Program specifically Spirit, Beer and Non Alcoholic  16 MGM Resorts International Properties.  Manage Spend of $60 Million in annual spend subsidiaries.  Strategic planning of processes to ensure compliance across the enterprise. Gwen is a seasoned veteran of MGMRI F&B industry.  Upon coming to Las Vegas in 1998, starting out as a cocktail server at the Mirage, then quickly started advancement in entry level management positions.  This then led into executive positions as the Beverage Director of Mirage then Bellagio.

Béatrice Cointreau international CEO now lives between California and France.

Béatrice Cointreau was born into a long line of vine-growers and distillers. With a Masters in law, in business (ISG), a degree in marketing and a MBA from Cornell University – Johnson Graduate School of Management, she completed her studies at the Bordeaux Institute of Oenology and at the ISIPCA European school of perfumery.

Great-granddaughter of the Cointreau liquor founder and granddaughter of the founder of Rémy Martin, she is proud to carry their values of entrepreneurship without working in those historical companies

Member of the Wine Academy of France, formed at the University of Bordeaux wine, Béatrice Cointreau has successfully managed a house of Cognac and Champagne for nearly 25 years,  she created an advertising agency specialized in wine and food and developed an international expertise as manager of various companies during a quarter of Century.

Beatrice Cointreau was honored by the French government, receiving both official titles of chevalier de “l’Ordre du Merite Agricole” for her input in the agricultural industry & the highest recognition of “Legion of Honor”  for her civilian activities.

She is the author of “Sense & Quintessence” (Cherche Midi 2009), “organic wine: the marketer’s guide” (Issued in April in French & Fall in the US 2015) and “C’est si bon Paris…by night” (May 2014).

She is also the owner of  “ADMIRABLE family vineyards in MALIBU” and distribution & now focuses on developing wines internationally as CEO & MD, since her acquisition in 2013.

Roberta Corrà graduated in law from the Università Statale di Bologna, subsequently practicing at the Menichetti law firm in Verona, specializing in labor law, officially qualifying to pursue the legal profession and attending a short Masters course of specialization in company organization at SDA Bocconi. She developed much of her professional career in two German multinational retailers where she worked for 15 years in the Human Resources and Organizational sectors.

Roberta joined GIV in July of 2012 as Human Resources Director and in July of 2014 was appointed Chief Operating Officer. She has occupied the post of General Manager since January 2015.

In the scope of GIV consolidation, she is a Board Member of Frederick Wildman & Sons based in New York and B&G Wines USA LLC also in New York and is Managing Director of Carniato Europe s.a. based in Paris, GIV Deutschland GmbH in Munich, GIV UK Ltd. in London and GIV CZ in Prague.

She is also Vice President of the Italia del Vino Consortium and is on the board of the Tutela Vini Valpolicella Consortium.

Gruppo Italiano Vini is the leading Italian Wine Business and one of the most important companies in the world for the production and marketing of fine wines. The company was established in 1986 and has its headquarters in the eighteenth-century Villa Belvedere on Lake Garda in the province of Verona. It has 15 directly-owned wineries spread over 11 Italian regions representing the history and culture of Italian wine. Its 1,363 hectares of vines extend from the far north of Italy to Sicily and cover all the classic Italian wine-growing areas.

The Group has expanded even further in the past few years. Having acquired the Pedemonte winery in the province of Verona and the Bolla brand, the Group purchased the Cantine Cavicchioli, the prestige Lambrusco brand. In 2017 Gruppo Italiano Vini completed the renovation of its Santi winery in Valpolicella, a significant investment marking the renewal of one of the most important and historical protagonists of the Verona wine scene.

The Group directly owns Frederick Wildman & Sons in New York, Carniato Europe Sa in Paris, GIV UK in London, GIV Deutschland in Munich, GIV CZ in Prague and Shanghai GIV in China.

The Group closed 2016 with revenues of €365 million, a year-on-year improvement for both 2015 and 2014.

Trinchero Family Estates chief financial officer Kirsty Cringan is a Scot with a world of team-building knowledge and project management expertise. Prior to overseeing controllership and treasury at Trinchero Family Estates – the world’s second largest family-owned winery and the fourth largest overall – Kirsty began her globe-spanning wine and spirits career at Diageo Chateau and Estates. Kirsty joined Diageo as a commercial finance manager in the UK and was quickly tapped to lead the business’ expansion into Amsterdam. Recognizing her knack for designing organizations and optimizing teamwork, Diageo tasked Kirsty with an HR project spanning all of Western Europe. Kirsty’s next move took her to America, where she, her husband and sons transitioned into life in Naperville, Illinois – home of Smirnoff Vodka. There, Kirsty’s responsibilities evolved from HR and project leadership roles to compliance and controller positions. A move to Connecticut came with a promotion to vice president, business performance management, where she managed Diageo North America’s financial outlook, totaling $4.9B. Kirsty’s Diageo career came to a close after she spent a year in Napa negotiating Diageo’s sale to Treasury Wine Estates as Diageo’s vice president, finance and business planning. Treasury Wine Estates appointed Kirsty to the vice president, commercial finance role, where she oversaw the transition of 400 employees to their new parent company.

It was in Napa that Kirsty took her first interview in 18 years. Trinchero Family Estates recognized Kirsty’s legacy of transformation over the course of nine different roles in five locations across three different countries and recruited her for the chief financial officer position. Drawn to the wine and spirits company’s mission of delivering against its original family values while strengthening its assets of 50 brands and 1,000 employees, Kirsty accepted the position in November 2016. Kirsty has thrived in the company’s supportive family atmosphere where she can remain true to herself – a value she proudly conveys to her teams. After a lifetime of travel, Kirsty now happily resides in Browns Valley, California with her fellow-Scot husband, Fraser, and three sons, Mark, Ross and Liam.

As President of Young’s Market Company, Rick Gillis provides strategic direction and operations management for a 10-state distribution network of more than 3,000 employees and revenues exceeding $3 billion. Rick joined Young’s in 2014 with 20 years of leadership experience at some of the world’s most well-known consumer packaged good companies, including Coca-Cola, Dean Foods, and Lactalis America. Rick holds a Bachelor’s degree from University of California, Riverside.

Marlene Gordon is Vice President & General Counsel for Bacardi North America Corporation.  Marlene serves as a strategic business partner and the senior key point of contact for the legal and compliance activities for the companies within the Bacardi North American business unit.  She is a member of Bacardi’s North America Leadership Team, managing the legal services and support to the Regional President and senior leadership.   

She also serves as a member of the Global Legal Leadership Team and contribute to the effectiveness of the Global Legal Function. Her responsibilities include proving Leadership and development to a team of lawyers and paralegals in the North American region and overseeing the retention and strategic direction of external law firm relationships.  Her specific duties include overseeing and managing legal advice and support for the businesses in the North American region, including, marketing and innovation activities, distributor arrangements, trade practices, commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, employment matters, business development transactions, information technology, real estate, corporate communications, disputes, corporate secretarial and governance.

Marlene also serves as the Global chair for Bacardi’s Women-In-Leadership Program, an initiative that was founded with the mission of unleashing the potential of current and future female leaders at Bacardi to drive sustainable top and bottom line business growth.  In leading this program globally, Marlene works to embed the initiative into Bacardi’s business strategy and to instill a sense of ownership and accountability in business leaders to set the right example and drive engagement throughout the organization. Areas of focus include: programs to strengthen the talent pipeline (i.e., formal mentoring program, personal/professional development activities); networking opportunities and initiatives to empower employees in a winning work environment; and community partnerships centered on women helping other women in need. This program positions Bacardi as an employer of choice for talented women and helps establish stronger career paths toward senior leadership.

Prior to Bacardi, Marlene spent 14 years at Burger King Corporation with increasing U.S. and global roles of responsibility. During her tenure at Burger King, she also served as Vice President & Assistant General Counsel, Chief Legal Crisis Officer, chaired the company’s Women’s Leadership Forum and received Burger King Corporation’s Crowning Achievement Award for outstanding work and accomplishments. 

Marlene previously worked for Republic Industries, Inc. and Blockbuster Entertainment Group, and was in private practice with a leading Florida law firm earlier in her career.

Marlene earned her B.A. in Economics with honors from the University of Chicago and her JD degree from Northwestern University Law School.

Marlene truly believes in giving back to those less fortunate than herself and in 2012 founded the Lynne Mitchell Foundation to honor her mom's legacy and provide educational resources and opportunities for underprivileged children in the rural community in Jamaica where Marlene and her family are from.

Jeffery Tobias Halter is the President of YWomen, a strategic consulting company focused on engaging men in women’s leadership issues. YWomen focuses on driving actionable business plans and strategies to help organizations create Integrated Women’s Leadership Strategies. Jeffery is the former Director of Diversity Strategy for The Coca-Cola Company.

Jeffery is author of two books, WHY WOMEN, The Leadership Imperative to Advancing Women and Engaging Men and Selling to Men, Selling to Women. He is a contributing writer to the Huffington Post, the New York Daily News, Working Mother magazine and a two-time TEDx speaker. His work has been profiled in Forbes and US News and World Reports. Additionally he is a regular contributor to Fox Business Radio and Good Morning Charlotte.  

His clients include two Catalyst Award winning companies, The Coca-Cola Company and Kimberly Clark, as well as dozens of other Fortune 500 companies. He has led best practice work with companies such as McDonald’s, Deloitte, Novartis, GE, Walmart and Costco. 

Dan Heller is the Executive Vice President of Sales for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, which is the third largest premium wine company in the U.S.   Its portfolio includes wineries located in Washington, Oregon and California, and Ste. Michelle also imports wines from prestige estates located in Italy, France, Spain, New Zealand and Chile.  
 
Mr. Heller began his career with Ste. Michelle in 1985.  During his tenure, Dan has held several sales leadership roles prior to being named to his current role in, September 2017.  Dan’s areas of expertise include managing business across all trade channels, building teams and organization structures and managing national distributor networks. 

A native of Indiana, Dan earned his bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications from Indiana University.
 

Kelly Hendriksen is the Senior Manager of Brand Development at Ruth’s Chris Steak House.   In her role, she leads the beverage and menu development programs for corporately owned Ruth’s Chris Steak House locations.

Over the past thirteen years, Kelly’s hospitality fueled career has given her extensive in-restaurant experience, oversight of National Private Event and Catering Sales programs and most recently the Ruth’s Chris corporate Wine List and Cocktail Menus for 75 locations.

Kelly holds a Master’s Degree in Opera Performance from Arizona State University and an undergraduate degree from Rice University and in her spare time enjoys travel and sampling foods and wines from across the globe.  

Michelle Hodges is the State Manager for Tennessee & Kentucky at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (SMWE). With over 20 years of management in hospitality, training and sales, she has spent the last 15 years in progressive distributor and supplier roles. Before joining SMWE in 2013, Michelle spent seven years at Republic National Distributing and four years at Best Brands Distributing. Michelle is an experienced sales leader that is known for her skills in the areas of strategic planning, building collaborative teams, coaching and developing talent, and creating turnkey relationships.

Since working at SMWE, Michelle was awarded State Manager of the Year in 2016 and is a 2-time recipient of the President’s Club award representing the top 10 percent of the sales organization. She is also an active member of the SMWE Mentoring Committee which launched a company-wide mentoring program.

Michelle is passionate about empowering women to achieve both their professional and personal goals. She is a founding member of Les Dames d’Escoffier Nashville and is the Mentor Committee Chair for the Network of Executive Women’s Nashville Chapter. To make a more significant impact, Michelle recently launched a local group hosting monthly leadership workshops for women in business. She is also an active mentor to women outside of her company, including Big Brother Sister of Middle Tennessee where she has been matched with her “little” for over a year now. 

It was while pursuing her Bachelor's Degree in International Relations and Foreign Languages at Middle Tennessee State University that Michelle fell in love with food and wine. She was captivated by the rich history and cultural traditions that began around the dining table. This connection inspired Michelle to leave her plans of Law School behind and embark on her path in the food and wine industry.

Embracing a mindful and intentional approach to leadership, Michelle encourages work-life balance to create sustainable performance and success. In her free time, she practices yoga daily, is an avid traveler, voracious reader, dog lover and outdoor enthusiast with lots of time spent on trails with her Border Collie, Sophie, hiking or running.

Raised in the premium wine region of McLaren Vale, South Australia, Rebecca Hopkins took her first role in the wine business with Wirra Wirra vineyards in McLaren Vale in 1992 while completing her Bachelor of Wine Marketing at Adelaide University. Upon graduation Rebecca joined national importer Negociants Australia as Marketing Assistant, and in 1996 was the inaugural Student Winner of the "Vin de Champagne Award" – given by the Champagne region's governing body. In 1999 Rebecca relocated to Coonawarra, joining boutique producer Rymill Winery as Marketing, Sales & Export Manager before joining Australia’s largest producer, BRL Hardy (now Accolade Wines) in 2001. 

She held the role of Public Relations Manager from 2001 managing all brand, environmental, operational and corporate publicity activities before the acquisition of the Company by Constellation Brands in 2005. Following this, Hopkins was promoted to Group Public Relations Manager to manage the Company’s global public relations, media operations, hospitality and events including leading the company’s communications and PR and events requirements across corporate, brand, and business media in Australia, and key strategy development with the US and UK markets.

In 2007, Rebecca was relocated to San Francisco with Constellation Brands to develop and lead the largest in-house brand communications and event marketing team in the US wine business, creating strategic PR programming for trade and consumer media, and consumer and trade marketing events. Overseeing the US wine portfolio, she led brand publicity programming and event marketing for the portfolio, leveraging strategic relationships across wine, culinary, luxury and lifestyle media.

In 2012 she returned to family winemaking, joining national importer Folio Fine Wine Partners – a full-service sales, marketing and communications agency owned by the Michael Mondavi Family as Vice President Communications & Partner. In 2017, she took her current role as Executive Vice President of Colangelo & Partners. A panelist at Vinitaly’s 2015 Business Series in Verona, Rebecca is a freelance contributor to Meininger’s Wine Business International, avid photographer, and lives in San Francisco, California.

Desire’ Hunter joined the Brown-Forman Corporation in 2014, after 22 years of experience at the Coca-Cola Company. Brown-Forman is one of the largest American-owned spirits and wines companies and sells in more than 160 countries.  Desire’ has a wealth of experience managing and leading in areas of; bottler/distributor operations, marketing & sales, commercial planning, asset management and contract negotiation with large marketing assets.  She has led sales operations, business development, national and global sales, designing winning strategies and platforms that strengthen mutual business.

Currently, Desire’ and her family live in Seattle, WA. She is the Director of National Accounts West and is responsible for leading the sales functions for assigned national retailers. She was on the Board for Network Executive Women in the Pacific Northwest from 2012-2015 and is now a current member of Women of the Vine & Spirits.  Desire’ received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin in Business Administration and her Masters of International Business from The University of South Carolina.

Cathy Huyghe is the co-founder and CEO of Enolytics LLC, which provides big data services to the wine industry. She is a journalist by training and writes for Forbes online about the business and politics of the wine industry, and for Inc.com about entrepreneurs. She is also the founder of Harvard Alumni in Wine and Food, a non-profit interest group within the Harvard Alumni Association.

Huyghe is the author of the award-winning book, Hungry for Wine: Seeing the World through the Lens of a Wine Glass, which has received positive reviews from publications ranging from the Wall Street Journal to NPR to the Village Voice.

In January 2017, Huyghe received the Diaz Communications Innovator of the Year award, and she was also a finalist in 2016 for the IWSC Wine Communicator of the Year award. She has received two graduate degrees from Harvard, in Design and Journalism, and a Master’s degree in Comparative Literature from the City University of New York.

Huyghe’s writing has appeared in print and online for both general-interest and wine industry publications including the Harvard Business Review network, The Atlantic, Decanter, DailyBeast, The Boston Globe, the Washington Post, Wine Enthusiast, GlobalPost, Grist.org, and Daily Candy. She has also been featured on the BBC, WNYC, WGBH, and Nevada Public Radio.

Huyghe has been practicing yoga for more than 20 years and completed her 200-hour Classical Yoga Teacher Training certification in 2013 at Kashi Urban Yoga Ashram. She has a keen interest in meditation.

Find her online at CathyHuyghe.com, Enolytics.com, and WritingForSeva.com.

Beverage Industry Executive with over 20 years of brand management, strategic planning and brand development. Known for luxury brand management and brand positioning. Builds incredible teams and is a passionate champion mentor for women in the beverage alcohol business.

In the last 20 years, I have had the opportunity to work with some great companies.  Constellation, Moet Hennessy, Young’s Market and Infinium Spirits. When I was the Vice President of National Accounts at Youngs Market Company I championed the Women in Leadership program that included 100 members. In 2015, I joined the Infinium Spirits Group as the Vice President of National Accounts working on a great portfolio of brands that included Corralejo Tequila, Seagram’s, Templeton Rye and Crystal Head Vodka.  In 2016, I began working on a great brand called Santo Mezquila, which is a blend of Tequila and Mezcal. The brand is owned by two incredible Rock Stars – Sammy Hagar and Adam Levine. I immediately fell in love with the brands platform and in 2017 became General Manager of Santo LLC.

Jan Jones Blackhurst is a long-time political and business leader who has left an indelible imprint on the lives of millions of people. In 1991, Jan broke the glass ceiling as Las Vegas’ first female mayor. Under Jan’s leadership the city experienced tremendous growth, making her one of the Las Vegas’ most popular mayors to date. She then joined Caesars Entertainment, where she grew the industry’s first Responsible Gaming practices to include an ambassador model for the gaming industry and the first industry code of commitment. Jan is also known and respected for her efforts to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, advancing environmental stewardship, advocating for important social issues and giving millions of dollars to individuals, families, and communities in need.

Under Jan’s Leadership at Caesars Entertainment Corporation:

• Caesars was the first casino in the industry to roll out a code of commitment under their corporate integrity standards

• Energy, water use and greenhouse gas emissions have dropped significantly over the last eight years across the Caesars Enterprise

• Employee diversity has increased, with 41 percent of management positions held by women and 57 percent of employees from diverse backgrounds

• Employee engagement has been its highest, driven by a volunteer program where employees have donated over 400,000 hours a year to both company and community causes

Through Jan’s guidance, Caesars Entertainment has earned a 100 percent perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for ten consecutive years. Jan has channeled her passion for charitable causes through her role as Chair of the Caesars Foundation, which strengthens communities through philanthropic activities and corporate gifts totaling $66 million since 2013. Jan participates extensively in university speaking engagements and lecture series throughout the country and has also helped establish the International Gaming Institution Center of Excellence at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas.

Before joining Caesars in 1999, Jan served two terms as Mayor of Las Vegas. She was the city’s first female chief executive and one of its most popular mayors, having been re-elected in 1995 by a 72 percent margin. While in office, Jan presided over an unprecedented period of economic, social and cultural expansion. She spearheaded a massive and redevelopment effort in the city’s once-neglected downtown neighborhood and was among the first mayors in the country to advocate for LGBT rights and issues as early as 1991.

Jan serves on the Board of Directors for the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Global Fairness Initiative. Additionally, she serves on several boards as chairwoman including the Nevada Resort Association, Las Vegas Stadium Authority, and is also a member of the Women's Leadership Board at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She has received many recognitions and accolades including the Americanism Award from the Anti- Defamation League (ADL), the Woman of Diversity Award for "100 Years of Influence - Women Shaping the First 100 Years of Las Vegas", Outstanding Service in a Land-based Industry from Totally Gaming, PR News CSR Professional of the Year and was named by the Las Vegas Business Press as one of its “Women Who Mean Business.” Jan has been honored by the American Diabetes Association and the "I Have a Dream" Foundation, and named Humanitarian of the Year in 1998 by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In 2014, she was one of the first women to be inducted into the American Gaming Association (AGA) Gaming Hall of Fame. More recently, she has earned the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Chamber of Commerce, the Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence from UNLVino, the Diversity Hero Award from PR Week and was honored by ACLU for Community Equality.

Jan Jones Blackhurst holds a bachelor's degree in English from Stanford University and attended the University of Southern California's School of Food Marketing Management.

Melissa joined the Pernod Ricard USA in 2012 and is the first woman to be named General Manager of a
Spirits Division. With over 20 years of experience in the wines and spirits industry, she has spent her
career driving growth and revenue for top companies including Brown Forman, E. & J. Gallo Winery, and
Rodney Strong. Melissa takes great pride in being a leader at Pernod Ricard and is most proud of her
people leadership and management skills that has led her to create an open, collaborative culture where
her team can thrive. She is passionate about championing and mentoring women both professionally
and personally.  At Pernod Ricard she a member of the Better Balance Initiative and in her home state of
Massachusetts she spent three years on the Board of Directors at Big Brother Big Sisters.

Amy Lund is the Vice President of Marketing Communication and Brand Activation for the Spirits BU at E. & J. Gallo Winery. Throughout her 17-year career with the Winery, Amy has worked in a wide variety of departments including Operations, Supply Chain, Corporate Strategy, Finance, and now Marketing. As the Winery’s first-ever female Plant Manager, Amy showcased her ability to lead a team and cultivate a thriving workplace community. She maintains the same philosophies today, as she leads Marketing Communications and Brand Activation for the Winery’s Spirits portfolio. In her current role, Amy oversees Media activation, On-Premise strategy, Mixology and Brand Ambassador capabilities.

Amy lives with her husband Jason and son Logan in Patterson, California. She continues her passion for working hard and building relationships centered around a strong sense of community.

After earning her Sommelier Certification in Washington D.C., Mary Masters entered the Wholesale Wine Industry with Southern Wines & Spirits of Miami as a salesperson. Satisfied with several years of success, her ambition to go into management led her to a distributor in Colorado, where she entered middle management. Prepared to relocated for upward mobility, she accepted a position as Division Manager with National Distributing Company of Orlando. From there she was promoted to Vice President On Premise of National Distributing Company of Atlanta. Her husband’s job transfer brought them to Massachusetts, where she was the Vice President of Classic Wine Imports – the first female VP of Sales for the Martignetti Companies. In May 2017, Mary accepted a position with The Winebow Group as VP and GM New England.

As a pioneer for women in the Industry, Mary worked tirelessly to break the glass ceiling and pave the way for others. She enthusiastically mentors others to help them succeed. Her multi state experience gives her a broader outlook, and a unique ability to adapt to change and new cultures.

When she’s not running her business, conducting seminars, or speaking at conferences and symposiums, Mary enjoys gardening, spending time with friends and traveling with her husband.

Mark Merrion leads Delicato’s national sales team, with the critical responsibility for driving national, international, and exclusive label sales activity for Delicato Family Vineyards and its powerful portfolio of wine brands. In his role, Mark is also responsible for managing the organization’s collaboration with distributors and trade, as well as partnering with V2 Wine Group’s sales team.

A career industry veteran, Mark has more than 25 years of industry experience on the supplier and distributor side including senior sales roles at Melbourne-based Treasury Wine Estates, Wilson Daniels, a fine wine importer and marketer in St. Helena, and Diageo Chateau & Estates in Napa.  Mark also held positions with Young’s Market Company, The Boston Beer Company, Heublein Wines, and the E & J Gallo Winery.

Mark is California native and resides in Marin County with his wife, while his three grown children are beginning their careers or continuing their studies in college.  He enjoys golf, skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and of course food and wine.

Delicato Family Vineyards is a family-owned company founded in 1924.  The Delicato portfolio includes a unique range of brands such as Bota Box, Gnarly Head, Noble Vines, Black Stallion Estate Winery, Z. Alexander Brown, Diora, Irony, and Earth Wise. 

Dr Nicola Nice is a trained sociologist who has spent the last 15 years advising Fortune 500 companies on their international brand and consumer strategies through her agency THINK Conservatory.  With particular expertise in the female consumer, as well as the spirits category, she was worked in the innovation, communication and positioning of such iconic spirits brands as Smirnoff, SKYY, Bacardi, and Kettle One.  In 2017, she set out to revolutionize spirits branding and marketing for women by launching Pomp & Whimsy – a wondrously crafted gin liqueur infused with 16 whole botanicals that is uniquely tailored to the female palate.

Tracy Redmond, Senior Manager of Beverage Innovation and Product Development for Applebee’s Services Inc., has worked for Applebee’s for over twenty years. Beginning as a Server and Bartender in Minnesota, Tracy knew early on that the restaurant and hospitality industry were her calling. While spending a large portion of her career in the field supporting operations and franchises, the bar was always a passionate focus. In 2014, Tracy joined the Applebee’s Beverage Team and is responsible for the overall innovation, development, and implementation of Applebee’s core beverage offerings. This includes being the acting expert regarding beverage operations, training, and product approval/procurement.   

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill Bar offers a lively casual dining experience combining simple, craveable American fare, classic drinks and local drafts. All Applebee's restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to serving their communities and offering quality food and drinks with genuine, neighborly service. Applebee's is one of the world's largest casual dining brands; as of June 30, 2017, there are nearly 2,000 Applebee's franchise restaurants in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and 14 other countries. Applebee's is franchised by subsidiaries of DineEquity, Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is one of the world's largest full-service restaurant companies.

Barkley Stuart is Executive Vice President and Board Director of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the largest North American wine and spirits distribution company and preeminent data insights company for alcoholic beverages. Barkley has worked in the wine and spirits industry for nearly 20 years. 

At Southern Glazer’s, Barkley manages government affairs by providing representation at state and federal levels for both the company and the wholesale alcohol trade. Prior to the 2016 combination of Southern Wine & Spirits and Glazer’s, Barkley worked at Glazer’s in roles ranging from E&J Gallo salesman to Chief Operating Officer.

Prior to working in the wine and spirits industry, Barkley was director, trainer and editor for Communication for Change, a pioneering not-for-profit, that for over 30 years, has used video tools and training to help those living in poor and marginalized communities influence their own destinies.

In addition to ongoing board positions at Southern Glazer’s, Glazer’s, and C4C, Barkley currently serves in leadership roles as a director for the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, Drizly, Inc., Collette Vacations, North Country School and the Devereux Foundation. Barkley received a BA in Computer Science from Brown University and an Executive MBA from Harvard Business School. 

Tom Swift is the Vice President for Customer Marketing in North America. In this role, Tom leads the development of compelling on- and off-trade programs across the Bacardi portfolio, as well as leading Bacardi’s initiatives within multi-cultural marketing, e-commerce, and trade advocacy.

Prior to his role within Customer Marketing, Tom was VP - Brand Managing Director of BOMBAY SAPPHIRE and MARTINI & ROSSI for North America, responsible for brand strategy, activity planning and management of business performance, as well as Global Vice President for GREY GOOSE. Tom began his career at Bacardi within the global whisky team, leading the relaunch of DEWAR’S blended Scotch whisky and the launch of five single malts under Bacardi ownership, ‘The Last Great Malts.’

Prior to Bacardi, Tom spent eleven years at Unilever across a variety of brand management leadership roles in Personal Care, including roles in Hamburg and Buenos Aires.

A Certified Sommelier and Certified Specialist of Wine, Katherine is Director of Beverage Programs for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. She began her career in the hospitality industry at the front counter and in the kitchen at a fast-casual restaurant in Wisconsin. After graduating from a performing arts high school and considering a career in film and television, Katherine attended UNLV, took one wine class as an elective, and was hooked forever.

At Kimpton, Katherine is responsible for the wine, beer, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverage programs and partnerships for 65 hotels, restaurants, and bars, with a focus on category management, national promotions, guest loyalty programs, and digital marketing. As part of a dynamic beverage team, Katherine strives to elevate the drinking and dining experience at every unique property.

Prior to Kimpton, Katherine enjoyed a varied career spanning over several disciplines. She was initially a travel agent before moving into hosting groups in Las Vegas which developed her passion for travel. From there, she tried her hand in public relations at Caesars’ Palace, managed restaurants in Orlando and Los Angeles, and worked in sports and entertainment at The STAPLES Center, with the US Open and PGA organizations, and award shows such as the GRAMMYs and Emmys. Deciding to pursue her passion for beverage and travel, Katherine joined Marriott International, focusing on ten global brands. When not enjoying Sonoma County, much of her free time is spent travelling to wine regions around the world, drinking unique grape varieties, and sharing her passion for travel, global cuisines, and local customs.